IS ENTREPRENEURSHIP SOMETHING THAT CAN BE TAUGHT?

To be a successful entrepreneur, skills are needed to grow a creative and self-reliant team. New ways of working arising from the pandemic, especially working from home, have resulted in positive opportunities for many team members, but even positive change doesn’t come without its challenges. Managing and leading remote and hybrid teams relies on generating trusting relationships, and giving colleagues autonomy and accountability.

A coaching approach to leading teams is the ideal way to generate the behaviours and culture required for these new ways of working. Coaching is also a great way to collaboratively solve problems, work through tricky dilemmas and make decisions where lots of variables are at play. These new times are also ideal for mentoring. Mentors share specific technical or managerial expertise and in this current challenging economic context, mentors are often a much more cost effective learning solution than company-wide training programmes. Mentoring works well for colleagues where learning needs are individual and so group training programmes are an overinvestment. Unique needs require individualised attention. Enter the coach or the mentor.

At DMU we have a number of coaching and mentoring solutions for entrepreneurs. Our team of highly skilled coaches and mentors work with clients who want to grow their business and help their teams reach their full potential. Our specialised team both provide coaching and mentoring for entrepreneurship and leadership. A range of training programmes and learning solutions help entrepreneurs generate a coaching and mentoring culture at their workplace, which in turn helps a team develops innovative thinking and a solutions oriented mindset across a team.

PAUL HARTSHORN Director Mr H IT

I believe that entrepreneurship cannot be taught – in the traditional sense of the word – by sitting in a classroom. Over the past few years, I’ve seen many courses and books that can help you and undoubtedly many more are around now than when I was younger. I studied business and finance at university. While it gave me some knowledge of what is needed to run a business, the actual learning experience only came when I took that leap of faith and started my own company.

I have to say it was a steep learning curve for me. One of the lessons I learned early on is that you pretty much give up on your work-life balance to make your business successful, especially in the early years. I guess this is the reason why it is not for everyone. To become an entrepreneur, you need drive and ambition which cannot, in my opinion, be taught in a classroom. However, if you are willing to be an entrepreneur, there are plenty of courses you can now take to assist you in the process.

I believe that becoming an entrepreneur is easier for some than it is for others. The word’s meaning is a person who sets up a business, taking on financial risks in the hope of profit. I have come across many in my career so far. Some have always had a safety net to fall back on, while others haven’t. Some set up a business as a hobby and then get lucky and migrate into it. To set up in business, you might have to take a leap of faith, and this leap is more significant for some than it is for others.

Maybe the better question to ask is: “What is the best way to teach and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs?” Because entrepreneurial ventures literally generate new wealth for everyone.